Popular Oceanian Historical Fiction Books
Find historical fiction books written by authors from Oceania for the next part of the Read Around The World Challenge. (62)
1.
A Language of Limbs by Dylin Hardcastle EN
AustraliaDescription:
"The prose is textured, viscous almost, an ooze of sweet honey shot through with golden light . . . A Language of Limbs is a novel of (impeccable) vibes and mood, a gay hymnal written from inside the guts of the two protagonists." —Yves Rees, Australian Book Review A breathtaking, sliding-doors, will-they-won’t-they love story and a tender epic that explores the weight of a choice, the love of community and how joy is found in even the darkest corners. Newcastle, Australia, 1972. On a sticky summer night, a choice must be made: To give in to queer desire or suppress it? To venture into the unk... continue
2.
A Providence Of War by Joshua Taumoefolau EN
TongaDescription:
C. A.D. 1120. The Tongan Maritime Empire. The greatest Empire ever to rule the Pacific has reached its zenith. Its dominion reaches as far as the Kanaka Islands and to the Tahitian borders. At last the people are enjoying a time of peace. But a dark faction of rebels grows against an aging king bearing a power so terrible it will spark a providence of war - a war that threatens to topple the great Empire and bring disunity to its people. Only a brave young prince and a band of unlikely companions have the courage to reveal the truth and battle overwhelming odds to prevent imminent chaos. Set a... continue
3.
Benevolence by Julie Janson EN
Description:
"How good it is to hear a Darug voice speaking of Darug history."--Kate Grenville, author of The Secret River, winner of the Commonwealth Prize Blending the mythical power of Téa Obreht and the epic scope of Min Jin Lee, a searing historical novel that tells a story of colonization, survival, and resistance in a way never done before--a beautiful, brilliant, and brutal reimagining of the first contact between Indigenous people and white British settlers and the far-reaching consequences for one Aboriginal girl coming of age in an unsteady and dangerous world. For all known time, Muraging's peo... continue
4.
Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray (River of Dreams) by Anita Heiss EN
Description:
'There are books you encounter as an adult that you wish you could press into the hands of your younger self. Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray is one of those books - a novel that turns Australia's long-mythologised settler history into a raw and resilient heartsong.' - Guardian *** WINNER 2022 NSW PREMIER'S LITERARY AWARD INDIGENOUS WRITER'S PRIZE*** ***2022 ABIA SHORTLIST*** ***2021 ARA HISTORICAL NOVEL PRIZE SHORTLIST*** *** 2022 STELLA PRIZE LONGLIST*** ***2022 INDIE BOOK AWARDS LONGLIST*** ***2022 VICTORIAN PREMIER'S LITERARY AWARDS HIGHLY COMMENDED*** _________________________________________... continue
5.
Black Silk and Sympathy by Deborah Challinor EN
Country: Oceania / 
New Zealand
New Zealand
Description:
A dazzling new series from bestselling historical fiction author Deborah Challinor, exploring the fascinating world of Victorian funeral customs and featuring Sydney's first female undertaker. 'Men have been undertakers for hundreds of years. Not women, men. You don't belong.' Sydney, 1865. Seventeen-year-old Tatiana Caldwell travels from London to make a new life. Her path leads her to Crowe Funeral Services, where she apprentices under the tutelage of Titus Crowe, the enigmatic owner. Tatty finds herself drawn to the fascinating conventions of the funeral trade - plumed horses and procession... continue
6.
Burial Rites by Hannah Kent EN
Description:
Set against Iceland's stark landscape, Hannah Kent brings to vivid life the story of Agnes, who, charged with the brutal murder of her former master, is sent to an isolated farm to await execution. Horrified at the prospect of housing a convicted murderer, the family at first avoids Agnes. Only Tóti, a priest Agnes has mysteriously chosen to be her spiritual guardian, seeks to understand her. But as Agnes's death looms, the farmer's wife and their daughters learn there is another side to the sensational story they've heard. ... BURIAL RITES evokes a dramatic existence in a distant time and pla... continue
7.
Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks EN
Description:
A bestselling tale of passion and belief, magic and adventure from the author of The Secret Chord and of March, winner of the Pulitzer Prize. Bethia Mayfield is a restless and curious young woman growing up in Martha's vineyard in the 1660s amid a small band of pioneering English Puritans. At age twelve, she meets Caleb, the young son of a chieftain, and the two forge a secret bond that draws each into the alien world of the other. Bethia's father is a Calvinist minister who seeks to convert the native Wampanoag, and Caleb becomes a prize in the contest between old ways and new, eventually bec... continue
8.
Carpentaria by Alexis Wright EN
Description:
Steeped in myth and magical realism, this story exposes the heartbreaking realities of Aboriginal life as indigenous tribes fight to protect their natural resources, sacred sites, and above all, their people.
9.
Country: Oceania / New Zealand
New Zealand
Description:
Uprooted from his privileged European life and sent to New Zealand to sort himself out, 21-year-old Daniel pieces together the history of his Maori family. As his relatives revisit their past, Daniel learns of a remarkable love story between his Maori grandmother Oriwia and his Japanese grandfather Chappy. The more Daniel hears about his deceased grandfather, the more intriguing and elusive Chappy becomes. In this touching portrayal of family life, acclaimed writer Patricia Grace explores racial intolerance, cross-cultural conflicts and the universal desire to belong. Spanning several decades ... continue
10.
Description:
From award-winning author Tim Winton comes an epic novel that regularly tops the list of best-loved novels in Australia. After two separate catastrophes, two very different families leave the country for the bright lights of Perth. The Lambs are industrious, united, and--until God seems to turn His back on their boy Fish--religious. The Pickleses are gamblers, boozers, fractious, and unlikely landlords. Change, hardship, and the war force them to swallow their dignity and share a great, breathing, shuddering house called Cloudstreet. Over the next twenty years, they struggle and strive, laugh ... continue